WHAT IS THE GRAND TOUR?
The Grand Tour, organized by the Grand Tour.ORGanization is an annual event that features personal watercraft enthusiasts covering 350 miles of Michigan coastline over three days during the 'Leader Dog-days of summer'. The event's net proceeds will once again benefit Leader Dogs for the Blind, a Rochester, Michigan-based non-profit organization that provides mobility and independence to the visually impaired through the use of dog guides.

This unique endurance ride will offer personal watercraft enthusiasts an opportunity to navigate the open waters of the Great Lakes as they travel along Michigan's scenic shoreline. The "Iron Man" inspired water excursion begins in Mackinaw City on the morning of Thursday, August 9th and concludes in Holland the afternoon of Saturday, August 11th. Overnight stops along the designated route include Traverse City and Ludington.

WHO IS LEADER DOGS FOR THE BLIND?
Most people believe in the old adage,  "A man's best friend is his dog".  For the visually impaired, however, Leader Dogs are more than friends; they're partners. LeaderDogs help to provide increased mobility to the legally blind.

Leader Dogs are trained by the non-profit organization, Leader Dogs for the Blind. Based in Rochester, Mich., the school has trained over 13,000 Leader Dogs since it's founding in 1939. Graduating hundreds of dog teams each year, the school strives to minimize the challenges of blindness by providing safe and independent travel. Leader Dogs consistently provides high quality instruction absolutely free of charge to its students and operates entirely on donated funds. No government funds are accepted. The continued success of the Leader Dog program depends on the generosity of contributors and community funding sources around the world.

If you would like more information about the Leader Dog program:

Leader Dogs for the Blind
1039 S. Rochester Rd.
Rochester, MI 48307
Main Number: 248-651-9011
Toll free: 888-777-5332
Fax: 248-651-5812
TTY: 248-651-3713
www.leaderdog.org

On Sunday, February 12, 2006 the Grand Tour lost one of it's dedicated riders.   Victoria Ann Carter was a wonderful and enthusiastic participant and a close friend to many of us.   Our thoughts and prayers go out to Victoria's family.   We are all honored to have had the opportunity to have known and spent time with Victoria.   She will be missed by us all.

Grand Tour 2005 - Remembering the good times

Grand Tour 2005 Memories Video